The Maiden of Steel
by Minimalist Redox
Summary: The year is 1969. And after ten years, Gwendoline Hazelmere has returned to Rapture to find her Iron Prince. Thrust into the middle of another's search for a loved one, and her alliance to those like her, it is now her turn to do the saving. OCxOC
1. Phone Call

**I had no idea my story was going to end up being so successful. Thanks so much for reading, and keeping me writing! So, a new story… this is going to be fun, I was looking forwards to writing this sequel almost as soon as I'd gotten halfway through 'The Iron Prince'. So here it is! Enjoy! DO NOT READ THIS STORY UNLESS YOU HAVE READ 'THE IRON PRINCE' FIRST. Thank you. ^^**

- NEW YORK: 1969 -

"Dad? Dad, there's a lady on the telephone for you!"

The man looked up from his book. One of his five 'daughters' stood near the door, the receiver in her still-pale hand. He put his book down, open on the seat and got up, reaching for the phone.

"Hello?" His voice was horse, and a bit difficult to understand. Advances in medical procedures above surface had made it possible for him to repair his vocal chords… granted badly. But he had a voice again. As much of a voice as he could have.

"Is this Jack?" A young woman's voice. Strange. He looked around at his now teenage daughter, who shrugged. So she didn't know who it was either.

"It is. Who is this?"

"Thank goodness, I finally found you, look I need your help. Please."

"What? What are you talking about?"

"Please, meet me at the Ace of Diamonds Club, 8:30pm. It's really important. Please Jack." The phone hung up.

Jack stared at the receiver in his hands, before hanging up. His daughter, all of whom were now about fifteen years old, stared at him.

"Dad? What's wrong?" She asked, finally, seeing the confusion written on Jack's slightly aged face.

"…Dad's got to go out for a bit, Cynthia. Look after your sisters, okay?" He said, reaching for his coat and hat. He didn't even know why he was going, but the desperation in the woman's voice struck a chord in him.

***** The Ace of Diamonds Club *****

Jack shivered a bit and leant against a wall. It was a rather miserable night; mist creeping down the street, hiding the causes of drips, and the faint yowling of cats. It was raining lightly, and Jack pulled his hat down a little lower.

"Jack?"

He turned slowly. A woman, somewhere in her mid to late twenties. She was a rather pale and spindly looking thing, with a tired look in her grey eyes. She held an umbrella in her hands to cover her short dark hair, and was huddled in a slightly oversized fur coat. She must be pretty well off to afford something like that.

" The lady from the phone. Who are you? And why did you call me out here?"

"Jack. I need your help. I told you when I called." She said, calmly. He frowned.

"My help? Look lady, I don't even know who you are. Speaking of which how do you know who _I _am?"

"It's about Rapture."

That silenced him. He hadn't heard the word 'Rapture' in almost ten years. Not since he and his daughters had escaped to the surface from that god-awful place.

"Tell me who you are, and what you want."

"My name is Gwendoline Hazelmere. And I need to go back to Rapture."

He sighed. Was she insane? What would possess her to do that? The place was a death trap nine years ago, it'd be a death trap now.

"You have got to be kidding. I won't go back there."

"I'm not _asking _you to. Just help me access the Bathysphere system. Please. I… promised I'd come back. I can't leave him there for one more second." She said, pleading. She looked like she was going to cry…

He watched her for a moment. So that was why… a promise to someone important. He couldn't help but feel pity for her.

"Okay. Look, I'll help you activate the Bathysphere, but if you want to go down there and get yourself killed you're on your own."

He had no idea why he had agreed to help her. The desperation in her voice (and his inability to refuse a pretty face as well) might have had something to do with it.

He had been even more surprised he really _had _agreed to it when he'd boarded a small amphibian aircraft with the very same woman a few days later, directed the pilot to the lighthouse in the middle of the ocean.

"This is it. The surface entrance to Rapture." He said, finally. It was disturbing being back here. He just wanted to go home now. No, just get it over with. Let the girl go get herself killed if that was what she wanted.

He helped her up the water-soaked steps, and pushed open the tall, wide doors leading to the Bathysphere pod. Was there even going to be one there? Maybe if there wasn't he could just go home now.

But there was one. He motioned to it, stiffly.

"Get in then. I'll activate it from out here. But if you make it out alive… you owe me. Okay Miss Hazelmere?"

"Agreed." She said, flashing him a tired smile as she climbed in to the slightly tarnished pod. He forced himself to smile back as he pulled the outer lever, turning away as the familiar sounds of the Bathysphere airlock system clicking into place.

He held back bitter memories as the pilot flew him back to New York, and as he made his way back to his apartment.

Back under the sea, Gwendoline Hazelmere watched, her heart aching in her chest as Rapture loomed into view, a neon giant sleeping upon the seafloor.


	2. Voices

**Finally, its been too long since I've been able to sit down and write this. I'm so very sorry I haven't been writing. But university applications, coursework and exams have taken up my life for the last few months. But it's time to start again.**

The bathysphere halted abruptly as it reached Rapture. It was dark in the welcome area outside. Something was sparking in the distance, but she couldn't see through the grubby porthole of the little sea-craft. Gwendoline placed her fragile hands on the door and managed to push it open with a sickly creaking sound.

What she saw chilled her. Everything was in ruins. She had expected things to be run-down after the Civil War… but she had never imagined this. A leak no one had fixed was creating a large puddle in the corner, and the floor was littered with broken statues, bent bronze, rusting metal. And corpses.

She picked her way over the debris, and stopped by one of the corpses, bending down to study it with admittedly childish and morbid curiosity. It was hideously deformed to the point she couldn't even tell if it was male or female. It was covered in boils, and large, undulating sores… one of its hands was almost moulded around the rolling pin it held. She recoiled, shivering in disgust, and hurried on, suddenly missing her fur coat.

Without it, it was clear to see how little she had changed. She was a little bit taller, but still quite gangly. She hadn't really grown much in the chest department, much to her own ire. She'd wanted to be more the woman she felt Gamma deserved when she came back for him. She looked gaunt, tired, almost sickly. Leaving Gamma had turned her into a wreck. Education had been her only preoccupation during that time, as Mary-Lou, and her friends grew up and got married. Mary-Lou was now 22 and already had three children. Gwendoline hadn't gained any children, instead she gained a title: Doctor. Dr Gwendoline A. Hazelmere, PhD. And what had it brought her? All that work, for two letters in front of her name and three after it?

She scrambled over a fallen statue; an angel, her wings bent and rusted from neglect. She was nearing the Metro Station now. She squinted her dove-grey eyes at the grubby map in a corner. She was close to Siren Alley, according to this. Two realizations suddenly dawned on her. One was that she hadn't seen a single living thing since she'd arrived… and second that now she was here, she had no idea how she was going to _find _Gamma!

She knew he was alive. She could tell that much. Their bond had been strained… but hadn't broken. It was weak, faint… and dwindling. She _had _to find him. She'd lose him forever if she didn't…

'Gwendoline!'

She looked up, startled. No one was around. As far as she could tell, the station was deserted. Even the trams weren't working. But she swore she heard a voice. It wasn't Gamma, she'd never be able to forget his voice, but… it had sounded female. Like a young woman.

'Go…. Plaza Hedone…'

There it was again. It was definitely a girl's voice. It was like she was hearing it in her mind, like how Gamma spoke to her. She looked around at the run-down station. It looked like she'd be able to reach it on foot from here.

She cursed her poor choice of footwear as she headed down towards the Plaza, keeping herself hidden from view. She still hadn't seen anybody, but if something could cause the level of damage she'd seen in the station, she was pretty sure she didn't want to meet it.

The state of Siren Alley shocked her even more than the state of the welcome centre. She'd remembered the area, it had been one of the nicest areas in the whole of Rapture for the arts… she remembered taking Mary-Lou to an art show in the Little Eden Plaza once, going with Gamma for a walk… being held in his arms. She bit her lip, and carried on.

She didn't know what she was bothering to follow this voice. Was it some kind of trick? But it could be a potential ally, at the same time. She felt like she was being guided now. Like something… someone was sending her messages, directly to her subconscious..

She entered Plaza Hedone as if she knew exactly where she was going. She headed towards the orphanage… and broke into a run, pushing the doors open. She was now in the backseat of her own mind, being led by someone else.

She was flung back into her conscious as she entered a room lined with beds, collapsing, paint peeling like dead skin. Heaps of broken toys, half-open chests… A jar of fireflies sat on a desk in a corner, along with a piece of paper.

Cautiously, Gwendoline crept forwards, not daring herself to disturb the aged place. She picked up the paper. It was a picture of a poorly-drawn woman in a blue dress with short brown hair, holding hands with a big… thing in a diving suit. A girl and a Big Daddy. Her and Gamma. There were little love hearts drawn around them in red crayon. Her eyes narrowed. No one had known about her and Gamma besides Robbie…

'Gwendoline? Is that you?' The girl's voice again. 'Can you hear me?'

"Y…yes. Yes, who are you? _Where are you?'_

' _I'm… quite far away. My name is Eleanor Lamb. I… I'm like you. My father is trying to find me, like you're trying to find Gamma.'_

"_You're a little sister, aren't you? Is that how you can talk to me?"_

'_That's right. Gwendoline, if you want to find Gamma, you have to hurry. He's been away from you for too long. You… might not be able to re-establish a connection if you don't find him in time… So we want to help you.'_

"…_We?"_

_There was a shuffling sound in the room. Gwendoline spun around hurriedly, and found herself looking down at a grubby little girl, with sickly skin, and a tattered yellow dress. She was pulling a little wagon with faded red paint covering it._

'_You're… one of us Gwendoline. And we have to look after each other. I… only ask one thing in return. If you see my father, Delta, please help him to find me, before it's too late.'_

_The Little Sister giggled at her and pointed at the wagon, which was covered by a child's blanket._

"_Please find daddy soon! He's really sad without you!" She said. Gwendoline stared down at the little girl, feeling tears welling up in her eyes. She was so close… so very close._

'_Gwendoline, you need to use the gift the Sister delivered to you to contact a man named 'Sinclair'. He can help you find Gamma.'_

"_Right. Thank you Eleanor… If I see your Father… I…I'll… help him as much as I can…"_

_No reply. The Little Sister reached up to her, giggling. Gwendoline hesitated, unsure as to what she should do… but reached down to pick the girl up, smiling, an oddly gentle expression on her face._

_A piercing sound shattered the air around them. A lean, gangly shape darted into the room, and grabbed the little girl, pointing a needled gauntlet towards Gwendoline._


	3. Sisters

**Its good to be back! I enjoyed writing my last story, and I'd really wanted to pick up writing this again, I'm a little disappointed I didn't do this sooner!**

Gwendoline froze. The creature was about her height, think, lithe, and dressed in a tight diving suit. It was definitely female, its movements and shape suggested that immediately. It wore a large diving helmet that cast a deep, dangerous red glow over her face. It froze as well, regarding her. The red light flickered, like a dying bulb, and went out. A green one suddenly flashed up instead.

"Big sister didn't know who you were. She remembers you now!" The little girl said, clambering up 'Big Sister's' shoulder and into the basket on her back.

The Big Sister watched her with curiosity as she cautiously threw the blanket off of the wagon. Another diving suit… sort of. It looked vaguely similar to the one the creature wore. Except there wasn't a helmet, just a little mask-like piece of apparatus.

'Some of the areas of the city are flooded now, that suit and breathing mask will let you move around easier. It was a prototype suit, you'll find it useful.' Eleanor's voice drifted back into her head like a memory.

"Right. Thank you…"

The Big Sister glanced back at her one last time, before diving out of the door. Gwendoline picked up the Prototype Sister suit, and laid it out on one of the orphanage beds to change.

****** Persephone, the Room of Eleanor Lamb ******

Eleanor opened her eyes, sighing. It was getting easier to contact Gwendoline now the others had been in contact with her… but it still hurt her head at the moment.

She swung her legs off of the bed, and watched as the little sisters around her milled about, giggling and looking at things that weren't really there, that didn't really exist.

"Is Gwendoline going to find Daddy?" One of them asked, tugging at her dress.

"I hope so. I hope she finds him in time…" Eleanor said finally.

****** Siren Alley Metro Station ******

Gwendoline was staring at herself in the glass of a window. She frowned. The suit was oddly comfortable, like she'd belonged in it. There had been a note attached, telling her to use the built-in radio to try and contact a man named 'Sinclair'. She slipped on the breathing mask to hang around her neck and played around with the little radio receiver attached to the suit's collar. There was a hiss of static, and a channel clicked into life.

"Well well, the radio finally came online. Is this Miss Gwendoline Hazelmere?" A slightly drawling voice said.

"This is _Doctor _Hazelmere, yes. Is that Mister Sinclair?" She said, speaking into the microphone she guessed was in the breathing mask.

"That's right. So, what can I do for you, ma'am, and what do I get for my… 'services'?"

"I don't-I don't have anything to give you , I-"

"Then tell me sweetheart, why should I help you?"

"B-But, Eleanor said-"

"That I'd help you? Well. How about this: You make sure you help get Delta to her alive. And I'll help you. He's… a 'good friend' of mine and…well, let's just say I got a lot ridin' on his success. Think you can do that for me?"

"Fine, fine. But don't you 'sweetheart' me, _Mister _Sinclair. Where can I find Gamma?"

"Ohh, now then, that'd be over at Fontaine Futuristics. But… I wouldn't head over there quite yet if I were you-"

"Right, I can get there from here easily-"

"Look, just listen will you? That place is crawling, and I mean _crawling _with splicers. You haven't got a weapon and frankly, even with that suit without something' to protect yourself you won't last a minute."

Gwendoline was silent. He probably did know what he was talking about, despite the fat she didn't like admitting to it. His voice was rather annoying… but he was the only help she had, wasn't he?

"Fine, you win, now where do I even find a weapon?"

"Just take a look around you! Couple of the corpses should have something' on them."

"You want me to _loot _a corpse! What is _wrong _with you?" She hissed, suddenly feeling a little sick.

"Well _Doctor Hazelmere, we don't have much here in Rapture any more. You need a weapon: You find one any way you can, so come on, work with me here."_

_She shivered, but agreed, bitterly. She frowned, and approached one of the corpses lying in a corner. She pushed it over, and reeled back in disgust as its horribly deformed face came into view. Why would anyone want to do that to themselves…? She rummaged in its pockets and round its belt and found exactly what she was looking for._

_A pistol, and a nice collection of ammo. She placed the ammunition in the pouch attached to the belt of the suit, and clipped the pistol to what she assumed was a clip meant for that purpose. _

"_I see you got yourself one of my pistols there! One of my best-selling products, you know." Sinclair's voice crackled through the radio receiver. Gwendoline scowled, her anger rising a little bit. She'd never known someone who could so easily infuriate her…_

"_How the hell can you see me? Where are you?" She said, looking around her._

_He chuckled; an unpleasant sound. _

"_Don't get worked up now, I've hacked into the surveillance systems, that's all. I'm watching though the security cameras. I'd head through Dionysus Park if I were you, quickest way. You know how to get there, don't you?"_

"_Yes, but… I've never been in there."_

"_Just make your way to the entrance, and I'll guide you, how does that sound?"_

"_Don't patronise me Mister Sinclair." She snapped, clambering over a broken column. The suit made it easier to move… almost as though it made her more flexible. _

'_Gamma…' She thought, her face set in a look of fierce concentration 'I'm coming for you. You won't be alone any more.'_


	4. Subject Delta

**Fourth chapter time! I think the fact I'd stopped writing for such a long time has lost me most of my readers… Thanks to those who kept on reading! This chapter's for you!**

Dionysus Park was in ruin also. Gwendoline had never been inside of it before, but she was pretty sure it had not been a half-flooded pile of rubble.

The suit felt like it was changing her. Not in a bad way… she felt lighter and more agile than she ever had, climbing over fallen statues, large formations of coral and other debris without much effort. No wonder that 'Big Sister' was so fast, with a suit like this on.

She stopped suddenly, listening. She could hear something. Laughter. Talking. Screaming. She guessed that would be the 'Splicers'. She didn't really know how she was going to get past them… She moved forwards carefully, waiting to see what came into view.

A female splicer (she could only tell because it was wearing a tattered dress) was struggling to get out of the grips of a male, who was trying to drag her off somewhere. She was screaming, gargling swearwords at him in a barely human voice. Gwendoline stared, hypnotized… what was he going to do to her? She knew she shouldn't… but she felt a sudden rush of sympathy for the female splicer.

She quietly unclipped her pistol and raised it, aiming towards the male. Her hands were shaking. She couldn't do this. She couldn't shoot him. But what about the 'woman'? what would he do to her if he managed to drag her off? She squeezed her eyes shut, placed a finger on the trigger and-

A deafening sound made her eyes fly open. The two Splicers were screaming. And there was another, louder sound. A drill. A Big Daddy stood over the two, now dead Splicers. Alpha Series. He looked almost identical to Gamma, except for the colours of his diving suit. She stepped out, deciding it was worth taking a chance.

The Bid Daddy swung round, aiming its drill at her and froze, the end inches from her face. She tried not to look as afraid as she suddenly felt. So this was what it would be like to be on the receiving end of Gamma's wrath?

"…Are you… Subject Delta? I-I spoke to Eleanor." She managed.

Delta regarded her with suspicion, and finally lowered the drill, taking a few steps back, staring at her expectantly. She sighed in relief, at least she knew it was him now.

"Mister Sinclair said you were looking for her. Well, I'm looking for my Big Daddy, like you're looking for her."

Delta moved a little bit. She guessed he was nodding or something. She guessed that Delta couldn't talk to her, like Gamma could. She'd have to make do.

"Delta, we could try and find them together! We need to go the same way, since you're here. And two pairs of eyes are always better than one."

Delta stared at her for a moment. There was an awkward silence between them. Delta turned away and began to walk off.

"H-Hey, wait! I thought that-Oh… never mind. Fine! Keep walking!" She snapped, frowning, as he disappeared round a corner.

She muttered bitterly, and hurried off after him. She'd just follow him, then. He'd clear the path so she wouldn't have to. Getting him to work with her was a lost cause, she could already tell.

"Not much of a talker is he?" Sinclair's voice suddenly crackled through the radio receiver, causing Gwendoline to shriek and jump back a little.

"Don't _do _that! You almost gave me a heart attack…" She muttered. Sinclair chuckled to himself, and she turned red with fury.

"Looks like Delta's not in a cooperative mood. Just follow him." Sinclair said.

"What do you _think I'm doing? I didn't get a doctorate by sitting around trying to look pretty." She retorted, before turning off the radio and following the sounds of screaming Splicers._

_Delta had cut her a nice path towards Fontaine Futuristics, she supposed she owed him one, but since he continuously refused to work with her, she didn't have any way to do so._

"_Look, I've told you, Eleanor asked me to help you if I can, and I plan to do what she asked me to. I'm going with you-"_

_Delta swung his drill round towards her once more, the tip prodded against her neck. 'I don't need your help' was the obvious message._

"_O-Okay… I'll just… follow from over here…" She managed, slightly breathlessly. He moved away from her and carried on prowling down the passage in front of her. She watched him, surprised by how hurt she felt by it. He looked just like Gamma, she supposed she almost expected him to act the same… if Gamma was still the same, it was hard to feel anything due to how diminished their bond was now._

_She walked slowly, keeping a fair distance from Delta, not really wanting to raise his ire. She wasn't sure what made him refuse to work with her… but she supposed she'd have to respect his choice. _

_He was free, that was probably the difference. Gamma was still bound to her, Delta on the other hand was not bound, but was seeking out Eleanor by choice. Because she was important to him as an individual. As a father._

_He was a big softie in his own way wasn't he? She smiled a little bit at the thought._

_Delta looked around and stared at her, as if he knew what she'd thought. They stared at each other uneasily for a moment._

"_D-Don't mind me… just… carry on!" Gwendoline said, forcing a smile. She was convinced Delta had cringed before he did just that._


	5. Fontaine Futuristics

**Here we are! Time to continue, once more. This chapter is for Nanette, my A-Level English teacher. Not particularly because she's taught me much, but because her sarcasm in lessons in amusing and she's the only teacher who has never been afraid to swear in front of my class. And yes, I do know you don't go underwater to get from Dionysus park to Fontaine Futuristics in the game, but this is my damn story, so I'll do what I like.**

Delta trudged on through Dionysus Park, still very much aware that the woman was following him. She'd probably introduced herself, but he couldn't remember. He didn't really care much anyway. Eleanor was all that mattered. She needed him now, and he had every intent of finding her, or dying in the process.

There might be other options, but he didn't know what they were. If he hadn't done them before, if he hadn't done anything except looking after Eleanor, were any of them really worth doing? He heard the woman jump off of a ledge behind him, a lot lighter and quicker than he was.

She was moving like a Big Sister, and that disturbed him. No, she didn't… there wasn't anything predatory, anything violent about her. But she was fast, faster than she should be. He continued to pretend to ignore her as he reached a large body of water. There was no other way than through there. Maybe he'd finally loose her here.

He pushed off of the ground with his thick, powerful legs and dove into the water, waiting as the liquid filled his vision, and landed at the bottom, next to the breached window.

Gwendoline and took a few steps back as Delta leapt into the sea water, and her radio receiver clicked into life.

"You'll want to go after him, there ain't another way round. You do still have that rebreather, don't you?" Sinclair's voice, slightly distorted by static, filtered through.

"Of coarse I do, I'm not stupid, _Mister _Sinclair."

She fumbled with her rebreather, clipping it on over he mouth and nose, pulling the pair of goggles she'd also found in the wagon out of her pocket and put them on.

"There's a transceiver in there too, so you'll still be able to hear my beautiful voice when you're under the water." He said. She could just imagine him, sitting somewhere warm, dry, smirking at her.

"I'm going to tune out your 'beautiful' voice now, thank you." She muttered, before clambering down the ledge she was perched on, her legs dangling above the water precariously before she allowed herself to drop.

Delta hadn't moved much, his movement was slow, steady, mostly due to his size, and the heaviness of his suit. She swam briskly to his side, and wasn't surprised he wasn't happy to see her. She hung back a little, to let him lead the way… he knew the way better than she did.

She could feel Gamma close by. It was stronger, but the overstretched ties of their bond made it difficult to know where. Her heart ached, and tears welled up in her eyes inside her goggles, the cold metal of the lenses pressed against her pallid face.

The bulk of Fontaine Futuristics rose above them like Leviathan over its next victim. Delta, who didn't seem concerned about the size of the building, headed towards the maintenance elevator, stepping in. He stared at the controls with interest, and, turned suddenly as the doors began to close.

He hadn't touched anything, Gwendoline knew that. But someone seemed to not want them being there. She swam desperately after him, trying to reach it before those heavy steel doors shut before her. Delta stared at her, through the closing gap.

She closed her eyes, still swimming as fast as she could, now convinced she wouldn't make it… until she felt a massive, gloved hand clamp around her wrist, and pull her through. She felt rough fabric against the side of her face. A cold metal under her feet, and heard the door slam shut behind her.

She opened her eyes hesitantly. Delta had her pinned against him, still holding her wrist in a vice-like grip. He'd pulled her through after him… She turned a little red as images of Gamma flashed through her mind.

"Thank you, Delta…"She muttered, embarrassed. Pushing away from him. He slowly let go of her wrist, and turned to pull the lever on the lift to take them up to the main levels of the building.

They stood in awkward silence, as the gears on the old lift grinded into action, and they jerkily began their journey up to the surface.

The silence was shattered as the bio scanner broke into action.

"Life forms detected. Identifying. Gwendoline Antonia Hazelmere. Status: Collector. Subject Delta. Status: Protector. Welcome. Bio-scan complete."

The doors opened, finally, revealing the ruined Fontaine Futuristics. Gwendoline thought she recognized the corridor from when she first met Gamma. The feeling of his presence was strong still.

She ran after Delta, who had already started moving down a corridor. She was sure she could hear something… A whirring sound, like a security bot. As she through, a security bot flew round a corner. It seemed to have been modified, and most of its body was replaced by a screen, with a large image of a man's eye upon it.

"Ahh, Subject Delta! And the eeh, hmm… _delightful _miss Hazelmere. It's so nice to have our employees back… now, you better get to wo-ork!" The voice was followed by a cackle of laughter, and the bot flew away, still with someone singing through it. Gwendoline looked up at Delta, who turned to face her.

"Any ideas who that was and what he was talking about?" She asked, blankly.

Delta shrugged. Gwendoline shrugged also, and carried on down the corridor in front of them. Suddenly, she stumbled, falling to her knees, clutching her head.

"…Gamma…!" She said, gasping. Her head was wracked by a sudden, sharp pain. He was close. Really close. And something wasn't quite right.


	6. Together

**Ah, your journey with me is quickly drawing to an end. I told you this wasn't going to be as long as 'The Iron Prince'… I will however, be writing two other stories in the next few months, but not for Bioshock. Now, shameless self-advertising over, time to finish the last chapter!**

Delta backed up as he watched Gwendoline collapse to her knees, clutching at her head. He didn't really know what to do, if there was anything he could…

Gwendoline gasped in relief as the crushing force of the pain left her. She very shakily tried to stand up and was a little surprised when Delta helped her up. He stared at her expectantly. He probably wanted to know what the hell had just happened.

"Gamma's nearby… I can feel it… and something isn't right." Delta nodded, and carefully backed up.

"Thanks. I guess he wouldn't appreciate seeing you here… he's… well, you know. You need to go find Eleanor, anyway…."

Delta hesitated, but nodded, and strode off down in the opposite direction, His heavy, clunking footsteps echoing down the corridor, and off into darkness.

Gwendoline leant against a wall for a moment, considering what she was going to do now. She was desperate to see Gamma. He'd be so happy to see her, she just knew it… But that feeling hadn't been right…

A howl suddenly pierced the air. It was aggressive. Animalistic. It was Gamma. Gwendoline broke into a run, heading towards where she could hear the sounds of destruction, the howls of fury and anger.

She stumbled near a corner, but came to the room. What she saw chilled her to her very core. Gamma, standing in ruined room. It was his work, judging from the sounds she had heard.

Tears came to her eyes. He was alive. He was there, in front of her, after ten years, ten years of loneliness, of agony. Ten years of study, of parties, anything to keep her mind of the emptiness of life without him.

He turned to her, sharply. And stared. His helmet was cracked slightly, his suit worn, stained, covered in barnacles and other little treasures of the sea. He'd had a rough time since her leaving, evidently.

"G…Gamma…? I…I'm back. I've come back for you." She managed, in a half whisper. His silence and absence of movement was worrying her.

Suddenly, he let out another guttural, screaming howl. And charged at her. Gwendoline stared, wide-eyed; the next thing she knew she was pinned against a wall, the force of her hitting the wall sent shockwaves of pain through her spine.

She could see Gamma's sticky breath fogging the glass of his helmet, feel him grinding up against her. This wasn't him…not any more.

She struggled against him, and managed to raise her arms to his helmet, pushing against it. She had to break this…

"Gamma!" She said, in the most commanding tone she could manage… trying to keep the fear and despair from her voice.

"Let. Me. Go." She said, her hands trembling against his sheer, brutal strength. He roared, in agony, rather than fury, and collapsed to his knees, releasing her from his vice-like grip, and began to cry.

He was crying openly now, and reached up, unclipping the airlocks on his helmet, tossing it to the ground and burying his greyed, blotchy face into Gwendoline's lower chest.

Tears flowed freely from Gwendoline now too. She had him back. He was here. And now, no matter what happened… they were together.

"Gamma, what happened to you?" It was a few hours later… they had just stayed as they had been for a very long time, not daring to move in case the other disappeared, in case it was a dream. But it wasn't. They were both alive, and they were together.

_I do not remember. I only remember seeing you taken away… and the sadness. Gwendoline, we won't ever be apart again. I will die before we are separated._

He'd become more eloquent… she supposed the distance had unwritten part of his Protector Programming… and had restored part of his personality.

"The same for me, Gamma… Michael. You remember being Michael, don't you?" She asked.

_I do. But it doesn't matter who I am, if I'm with you I do not care. _

Gwendoline smiled a little bit, and, standing on tiptoes (she'd never grown much taller than 5'6'') kissed him delicately on his lips.

"We're here now. And we'll stay together forever."

***** 1972, New York. The Apartment of Miss E. Lamb. *****

Eleanor Lamb stared at the typewriter in front of her. The last of her childhood memoirs were complete, finally. She looked over to the corner of her desk, next to the turntable she had bought from a second-hand shop.

A collection of old photographs and trinkets. A photograph of a man with a moustache in a diving suit, holding a helmet. They'd called him 'Johnny Topside'… She'd called him 'Father'. She did have a picture of her mother, somewhere near the back of the collection. She could never forgive her for what she had tried to do… but she was her mother. And she loved her still, in a way.

Eleanor was now 20 years old, and had grown into an ambitious young woman, interested in journalism. She had lived in isolation for a lot of her life, blind to the outside world. Now she wanted the chance to explore it, and to share her experiences with others. But her first writings had been altogether different. She needed to tell her own story, before she could tell others. And she needed to tell Gwendoline's.

All the 'Gatherers' had been her sisters. They were connected. All of them. She had felt Gwendoline's pain, her joy, her love. And she had to give testimony for what she herself could no longer say. She didn't know what had happened to Gwendoline and Gamma after they had been reunited. Part of her knew they had most likely been trapped in Rapture, but she liked to imagine they were somewhere out there, in the world… together. Loving each other as they always had.

She had a few things of theirs, also. A photograph of Michael Hawkeswood, in his uniform, that Gwendoline had dropped in Rapture. Gwendoline with her Uncle Albert. The drawing one of the little sisters had done of the two of them was framed on the wall.

She moved over to her window, and opened it, peering out at the sun rising over the cityscape. She had always wondered what the sun looked like when she was younger. She'd never imagined it could be so beautiful. She smiled. Somewhere, she hoped, the Iron Prince and his Maiden of Steel were looking at the same sun, too.

**Well, there it is. The end… I'm sorry this ended up being so short, but I'd never intended it to be long. If you liked my story, a fellow writer and correspondent of mine, raptor red, has written a similar story called 'The Guardian'. Please check out his story, I'm sure you'll enjoy it as much as I have so far!**


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